In a photo from Oct. 16, 2012, Oakland University women's basketball coach Beckie Francis looks over her team's practice in Rochester, Mich. Francis tells The Associated Press she was sexually assaulted by her dad, who is now deceased, from the age of 4 until she was in the seventh grade. The 47-year-old coach has decided to speak out against the problem in part because of the Jerry Sandusky scandal at Penn State. (AP Photo/Carlos Osorio)

The university said of the June 12 termination that "indications of conduct and behavior of the women's basketball head coach, that if true could be malfeasance and materially adversely affect the orderly or efficient operation of the women's basketball program, came to the attention of an Oakland University administrator in April."

An internal review was launched, and on May 30, Francis was suspended without pay pending further review by Oakland University's general counsel, according to the statement.

Francis accrued a 227-162 record at Oakland and took the Golden Grizzlies to the NCAA tournament twice. She was also named conference coach of the year twice in her tenure at Oakland.

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The statement adds other aspects of the women's basketball program are being reviewed.

Oakland University officials said they do not comment on specific details of personnel matters or internal reviews.

Francis issued a statement Friday evening, her first comments on the matter since tweeting shortly after her firing was announced.

"Instead of focusing on my views with respect to recent events regarding my employment, it has always been in my nature to stay positive." the statement read. "I have greatly enjoyed coaching the student-athletes over the years at Oakland University. I have challenged myself personally, professionally, and spiritually and I am looking forward to the future."

Director of athletics Tracy Huth has declined requests to speak to The Oakland Press since the firing was announced.

Francis' husband and Oakland University President Gary Russi announced June 12 his intention to step down effective Aug. 1, just hours before Francis' firing was announced by the athletic department.

Francis was terminated at 10 a.m. June 12, according to documents obtained by The Oakland Press through a Freedom of Information Act (FOIA) request. The move was announced at 6 p.m., hours after Russi had announced his retirement.

Francis tweeted shortly thereafter: "Looking forward to next phase of life. Gary & I have talked about retiring for a while now -- it's time for both of us. Wish Oakland the best."

Russi became president of the Rochester-area school in 1995. Francis arrived at Oakland in 1997. The couple began dating and was married in 1999. Francis took a three-year hiatus beginning in 2002, which she attributed to health concerns, before being rehired in 2005.

The school's Board of Trustees named Associate Vice President for Outreach, Betty J. Youngblood, as interim president.

Francis was recognized as an Esteemed Woman of Michigan in 2010 and the recipient of the Pat Summitt Most Courageous Award in April of this year.

Oakland assistant athletic director Scott MacDonald repeated Friday he was unaware of any ongoing investigation by the NCAA. A representative from the NCAA said Wednesday it could not confirm or deny an investigation at the school, but noted there have not been any recent reports of infractions at the school.

Francis was given a performance bonus of more than $15,000 in June 2012, according to documents obtained by The Oakland Press through FOIA, after the Golden Grizzlies went 11-17 in the 2011-12 season. Her contract, signed in July 2009, was set to expire in June 2014. The terms of the deal included a 15-percent bonus for her team achieving a specific Academic Performance Rate.

The terms of her termination dictate Francis is not eligible for any severance package from the school, as noted in her contract.

In her most recent performance review, from an evaluation cycle of April 1, 2012 to March 31, 2013, Francis asked for "more positive support from administration" after an injury-plagued season that saw the Golden Grizzlies finish 9-20. Preseason conference player of the year Bethany Watterworth (Lake Orion) sat out the season with an injury.

A 2012 review termed her performance successful "despite a sub-.500 performance," but indicated Francis needed "to get staffing aligned with (the) goal of recruiting Division I-caliber student-athletes." It also stated Francis had a "high level of commitment to professional development," but she needed "to get assistant coaches at (the) same level."

Francis was due for a $10,000 salary increase effective July 1, when Oakland University's athletics teams switch to the Horizon League, according to documents obtained by The Oakland Press through a separate FOIA request. Her base salary for 2013-14 would have been $136,000 per season.

Men's basketball associate coach Jeff Tungate has been appointed interim women's basketball coach and Oakland announced it intends to conduct a national search for Francis' replacement.